INSTRUMENTS & GEAR 1985-1995
See the official Rory Gallagher website for comprehensive details of Rory’s instruments and gears.
Here, we provide a brief summary relevant to the 1985-1995 period of his career
GUITARS
| 1961 Fender Stratocaster | The Rory Gallagher guitar. His constant companion and instrument of choice throughout his life |
| 1966 Fender Telecaster | First used in Copenhagen in early 1970. After many modifications over the years, it was reverted in 1987 to its original design. The copper plate underneath the lead (bridge) pickup was also removed at this time to fix a ‘squealing problem’ |
| 1959 Fender Esquire | First used in Milwaukee in October 1971. After being retired around 1979 as a stage instrument, it reappeared in 1987. Now, it was reverted back to its original condition (after previous modifications to Strat pickups). It was also fitted with a new back loader bridge and six holes were drilled through the body to house the six-string ferrules which now anchored the strings instead of the bridge plate itself |
| 1958 Fender Stratocaster | Rory’s number 2 Strat, purchased on tour in the US in early 1976. Used increasingly on stage from 1987 and still being used as a backup in 1991 |
| 1963 Gresch Corvette | Bought by Dónal in a US pawnshop in the late 70s. Replaced the Esquire for slide guitar and was used frequently by Rory throughout the 1980s |
| 1968 Martin D35 Acoustic | Bought in London in 1969 and used throughout Rory’s career |
| 1932 National Triolian Resonator | Bought in US in 1973 and used throughout Rory’s career |
| 1921 Martin Mandolin | Used far less than in the 1970s, yet appeared on stage during Rory’s 1993 acoustic set for his Uncle Jimmy |
| 1968 Selmer Alto Saxophone | Still used in the studio by Rory, most notably on Defender (uncredited) |
| 1960 Gibson Melody Maker | Frequently used for slide in mid-1980s and borrowed by Slash during their 1991 jam at the Roxy |
| 1965 National Airline (JB Hutto Model) | Used throughout the mid-1980s, most notably at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1985 |
| 1957 Supro Dual Tone | Seen frequently around the time of Defender in photoshoots |
| 1962 Supro Dual Tone | Gifted to Rory by Paul Fenton in 1985 |
| 1965 Teisco TRG-1 | Unique guitar with built-in speaker used by Rory during the Peter Green tribute album sessions in 1995 |
| 1964 Epiphone Casino | Used on Defender‘s ‘Don’t Start Me Talkin” |
| 1980s Takamine Dreadnought Style Acoustic | Bought as a backup for Rory’s Martin D5 while on tour in Japan in 1991 |
| 1980s Washburn Tanglewood | Bought in early 1980s and used most notably on ‘Seven Days’ and ‘Loanshark Blues’ for Defender |
| 1960s Stella H912 12-String Acoustic | Seen in Rory’s last TV session in 1994 for Rock n’ the North |
| 1959 Gretsch Chet Atkins PX6121 | Used on Fresh Evidence |
| 1960 Supro Coronado | Seen in a 1994 photoshoot with Rory outside the Conrad Hotel |
| 1960 Kay K672 Swingmaster | Seen in a 1990 photoshoot with Rory for Fresh Evidence |
| 1983 Tokai Talbo Blazing Fire | Used by Rory on ‘Road to Hell’ for Defender |
| 1992 Patrick Eggle JS Berlin Legend Rory Gallagher Model | Custom built for Rory in 1992 as a gift by fan Gordon Morris. Returned by the Gallagher family after Rory’s death and later auctioned for £25,000 |
| 1991 Guyatone Prototype ‘Marroly’ LGX-II | Given to Rory on his 1991 Japan tour. Now owned by Vincent Wolting |
| 1990s Charvel 725C | Occasionally used by Rory in the early 1990s as an alternative to his Martin D35 |
| 1980s Fender Component Telecaster | Made by Dave Edwards and seen in a photoshoot with Rory at the Bonn Blues Festival 1992 |
| 1980s Chris Eccleshall Telecaster | Presented to Rory by fan Gordon Morris. Used on ‘Continental Op’ on Defender |
| Hohner Harmonicas | Used by Rory on stage and in the studio throughout his career |
EQUIPMENT
| 1960s Vox AC30 Top Boost | The amp most typically associated with Rory. Despite frequently varying his rigs, the Vox could still often be found as part of the set-up. By the early 1980s, it was often used with a Marshall 50-watt combo to augment his sound. |
| 1970s Marshall 2104 50W 2X12 Combo | Added in the late 1970s in line with the band’s harder sound. Often hooked together with a Boss DB-5 pedal and an Ampeg VT-22 |
| 1978 Marshall JMP Super Bass and 4X12 Speaker Cabinet | Part of Rory’s most adventurous set-up from the late 1980s onwards. |
| 1960s Panaramic 1210 | Seen in a 1987 photoshoot for Guitarist magazine |
| Roland Cube | Used in the studio in the 1980s and sometimes live. Now owned by Vincent Wolting |
| Late 1960s Vox Supreme & Speaker Cab | Seen in a 1990 photoshoot for Fresh Evidence |
| 1970s Boss DB-5 | Used for equaliser, most notably in Rory’s late 80s/early 90s setup |
| Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer | Used occasionally from early 1980s onwards |
| Script-Logo MXR Dyna Comp | Used occasionally from early 1980s onwards as a form of compression rather than for effect |
| Boss BF-2 Flanger | Can be heard on later live versions of ‘Shadow Play’, ‘Moonchild’ and ‘Bad Penny’ |
| OC-2 Octaver | Used occasionally from early 1980s onwards as Rory’s interest in subtle modulation and pitch manipulation developed |
| Boss OD-1 Overdrive | Used occasionally from early 1980s in live solos |
| Boss ROD-20 | Only rack-mounted effect used by Rory for its midrange possibilities |
| Boss ME-5 | Used mainly in the studio |
| Fender Rock ‘n’ Roll 150 Strings | Favoured by Rory throughout his career for electric guitars |
| Martin Medium Gauge Strings | Favoured by Rory throughout his career for acoustic guitars |
| Herco Flex 75s | Favoured by Rory throughout his career for electric guitars |
| Fender Tortoiseshell Picks | Favoured by Rory throughout his career for acoustic guitars |
| Brass Slide | Rory’s first choice for acoustic slide, although used for electric slide early in his career and then revived in the 1980s (replacing the Coricidin bottle) |
| Steel Socket Wrenches | Increasingly used by Rory for electric slide from the mid-1980s onwards |
| Bill Russel Capo | Favoured by Rory throughout his career |
REWRITING RORY 